Snake pit found near Austin apartment complex

Timber rattlesnakes have wide heads and narrow necks—a typical distinction of all venomous snakes except coral snakes (Micrurus fulvius).
Timber rattlers are the second largest venomous snake in Texas and
third largest in the United States. Adult timber rattlesnakes reach a
length of 36 to 40 inches (91 to 101 cm), and weigh 1.3 to 2 pounds
(0.58 to 0.9 kg).

Photo By Michael Miller/San Antonio Express-News

Sexual maturity is reached at three years for males and up to four years
for females. Mating season is in early spring; only once every two to
three years for females.

Photo By FORREST M MIMS III

Timber rattlers, like other pit vipers, do not lay eggs. Instead, the
eggs are kept inside the female's body until they are ready to "hatch."
The eggs have an estimated incubation time of six months.

Photo By TOM REEL/San Antonio Express-News

During spring and fall, timber rattlesnakes become nocturnal (active at
night) during the oppressive heat of the summer. They will coil beside a
fallen tree or log and wait for their quick-moving prey to pass. Pit
vipers can develop an appetite for certain prey — some spend their lives
eating only birds or chipmunks while others will eat a variety of foods.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News

Despite their large size and reputation, rattlers are difficult to provoke
into rattling or biting. Still, it does happen. It is best not to take
any chances with such a potentially deadly snake. If one is bitten, seek
immediate medical attention.

Photo By HANDOUT

Highly venomous, timber rattlesnakes are sometimes slow to defend
themselves and rely on their ability to blend into their surroundings to
avoid confrontation. They seek to escape rather than risking danger and
will remain silent, and if possible, will hide before revealing their
position to a predator.

Photo By TOM REEL

According to popular belief, one can tell the age of a rattlesnake by
the number of rattles present at the end of its tail. A baby rattlesnake
is born with the first segment of its rattle, called a "button".

This snake often is mistaken for a coral snake, which is venomous, but this is a kingsnake, and it is not poisonous.

Photo By USA Today / Religion News Service

Timber rattlesnakes are found in upland woods and rocky ridges in the eastern United States; the eastern third of Texas.

Photo By Photo courtesy of SAWS

Today, every state inhabited by timber rattlesnakes has laws protecting
the species, including Texas. In Texas, it is listed as a threatened
species. This means that people cannot take, transport, have in their
possession or sell timber rattlesnakes.

Photo By Getty Images

Each year in the country, 7,000 people get bitten by snakes, only 0.2 percent cause fatalities. Venomous snakes inject poison in about half of their bites.

SAN ANTONIO -- Residents of a northwest Austin apartment complex are on the lookout after a dog was bitten by a rattlesnake and nearly died, and a pit believed to be full of vipers was found nearby.

The complex is off RM 620, and the snake den is located about 200 feet from the complex, near a popular shortcut that apartment residents use to get to a supermarket, and also not far from a community dog park, KVUE-TV reported.

Austin-Travis County Animal Control told the TV station that they will not remove indigenous species like rattlesnakes from their habitat because they help keep the rodent population under control.

But that doesn't stop people from worrying about the snakes as they walk the paths with their children or pets to get to the trail.

"I'd rather go out and try to make sure at least the trail is clear, checking every night at evening time making sure all this brush is clear around here, at least I feel a little bit more comfortable," Jame DuBose told KVUE.

"Snakes act more on the defense than offense," Teresa Shisk-Saling RVT, Veterinary Technician at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences stated on their website.

"If a person is bitten and envenomed by a snake they will know it, because the pain will be immediate and intense. The most important thing is to stay calm and remember the steps that you need to take following the bite," Shisk-Saling states on the website. "Go immediately to the nearest medical facility and call ahead to let them know that you are coming; Not every emergency room carries anti venom, but they should have the expertise to stabilize the bite and take the necessary action."

Annually, 7,000 people are bit by snakes in the country and only 0.2% (1 out of 500) results in a fatality, and only half of the bites are dry, meaning the snakes do not inject venom in the victim.

Unlike popular belief the Texas Department of State Health Services says that you should never attempt to suck the venom out of a bite wound.